Column: A double dose of worship

Hello again! It's really October, isn't it? Hard to believe, but that means the holiday season is here to stay for awhile (through March/April). And for me and my family, that means traveling, which brought me to come up with this week's column. I hope you like it, and if you do, pass it along on your social media pages! Much love :) 

Random Writer
(original publication date: Friday, October 10, 2014)
A double dose of worship


I love going out of town to see my family. Typically, there’s a ton of laughter and food involved, and just overall family time. But one of the biggest reasons I love it is because I get to worship with my family. 

I get this awesome opportunity to meet with Jesus in a corporate setting on  Saturday evening and then on Sunday morning. And the beauty of it is that they’re two totally different atmospheres and styles, but they both come together for one purpose: to commune with God with fellow believers and uplift His name.

Saturdays, we head to my oldest brother’s church, where he pastors. It’s a small congregation with a huge heart for the truth in God’s word--and I don’t just say that to have the small/big comparison. And with any church that has a true desire to follow after God, there will be challenges. I’ve seen this church go through valleys but they always seem to make it back up the mountain, with an even stronger desire to magnify the Father.

We’ll open up with musical worship, where every now and then my niece will assist on the worship team. Recently, I even saw my nephew assist with the sound and media, so it’s a family affair. 

Pastor’s Pals is something that was newly implemented, where my brother calls all the elementary-age students up to the platform and gives a small Bible story. This is before they head to children’s church, where my sister-in-law is the children’s minister, and then the adults have their own study.

For as long as I can remember, my brother’s been called to ministry. He spent a little over a decade in youth ministry before taking on the senior pastor role, which has proven to allow him to grow even more in his faith. He has this great way of combining truth, application, anecdotes and humor together to get the point across and challenge you to become more devoted to God.

Then on Sundays, we attend the worship service at my other brother’s church, where he serves as a deacon and in various ministry roles. One time when we visited, we had the opportunity to hear him preach and believe me when I say I was proud (I’m proud of both of my brothers, actually).

The musical worship at this church is top-notch. If there was ever a church that attained “blended worship,” it’s here--we sing the classic hymns and modern worship songs...that have depth and truth woven into the lyrics in both styles. My sister-in-law started serving on the praise team, which includes singers and a piano, guitar, bongo drums and (my favorite) a cello.

And when Pastor Bob heads to the platform, we’re once again met with Biblical truth. His sermon series are well-presented and clear--in the midst of complex ideas and concepts, the message is easily understood. They make you take a look at your own life and how you can take what you’ve learned and apply it.

It’s been great to see this church continually grow, the more times we get to join them. They’re now having two worship services to accommodate the growth, and they’ve been sending mission teams to Peru on a bi-monthly basis. I’m eager to see where God will take this church.

I’m thankful for the opportunities to worship God in places outside of my hometown. I love being able to meet with others and praise Jesus in song and Scripture. When I think about the opportunities I have to publicly attend church in America, I’m thankful because in countries across the globe, some Christ-followers don’t have that chance. They either meet in underground churches or secretly and risk their freedoms and even their lives for their faith. A couple months ago, a couple I went to Bible college with were kicked out of a country for sharing the Gospel. Thankfully, that hasn’t stopped them as they prepare to head to a neighboring country.

I always think about Hebrews 10:25 when I think about attending church...the phrase “not forsaking the assembling of ourselves”. And then I think about the early church in Acts 2, especially verse 46 where it says, “continuing daily in one accord in the temple”. The latter phrase convicts me, because when I think about how the early church met daily, I know if that were practiced in today’s society I would fail at it. There’s no way I could miss my favorite show, or once I’ve unwound from a day at work, I wouldn’t want to have to get ready to head back to church. More than likely, I know myself and know that I would be there, but my heart and attitude wouldn’t be Christ-focused but either me-focused or angry and grumpy. 

So if you’re going to a church that boldly preaches the Bible, keep attending. It’s just one of the ways we can corporately meet with God in order to spiritually grow at an individual level. And if you’re not in a church, I encourage you to look for one where you can grow in grace, knowledge and truth. Because if we ever were in a place in the timeline of society--where war and disease and sadness abound--where we needed to meet with God in His House and gather with others so we can worship and grow in Him, it’s now.